Stop motion for textile machines



Feb. 19, 1924. 1,484,329

E. s. HINELINE SidP; MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 15 3,920 '6 Sheetg-Sheet 1 Him mmmmmm 1 F I l" lnven or Feb. 19, 1924. v 1,484,329

I E. S. HlNELlNE STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 15, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 46 v 45 46 6 45' v Q 43 O InZz u Edison Feb. 19 1924.

- v 1,484,329 E. s. HINELINE STYOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE. fiACH INES I Filed March 1-5,.192'q e Sheets-Sheet s 9 6 a ITZ/UCWZO'J':

EdsonSHimZcm 1 Feb. 19, 1924. 1;434,329

. E. S. HINELINE STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 15, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 a E J r I wen/20 l Edson Feb. '19 1 24. 1,484,329

' E. S, HINELINE I STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Y llllllliiiii'fi 6' Sheets-Sheet 5 ll m Irv/22671302":

; E. S. HINELINE STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Imus-anion- EJ507218 .HmZi/ne,

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Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

EDSON S. HINELINE, OF APPONAUG, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB, TO HI-NELINE EN- GINEERIING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

STOP MOTION FOR. TEXTILE MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDSON S. HINELINE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Apponaug, in the county of Kent" and State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Stop Motions for Textile Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to stop motions for textile machines and preferably to electrical stop motions for knitting machines.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a knitting machine having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 1 is a diagram representing a preferred arrangement of the electric circuit employed in the practice of my invention;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the latch ring of a knitting machine and the yarn support, the yarn guiding and a part of the yarn stopping mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a right hand elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the cover of the box or receptacle for the magnet and other parts being removed;

Fig. 4 is a detail in cross section upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section upon the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail in vertical section upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view mainly in plan of the stop motion head;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan similar to that of Fig. 7 but representing the cover of the contact box or receptacle as removed; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken through said contact box and showing certain related parts.

It has long been proposed to employ electrical stop motions in connection with knitting machines, but so far as I am aware an electrical stop motion for knitting machines has never been produced that is satisfactory under commercial conditions.

stud 4 extending laterally Application filed March 15, 1920. Serial No. 865,939.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide for knitting machines an electrical stop motion which is wholly satisfactory under all conditions of use and which atthe same time shall be comparatively simple and inexpensive and which may be applied not only to new machines as they are built but also to various types of existing machines now upon the market. The stop motion herein disclosed is readily applicable to knitting machines of various types. I have chosen to represent it as applied to the socalled Banner machine of the type disclosed in, the patent to Joshua D. Hemphill No.

933,443, September 7, 1909, but obviously my invention is not restrictedin its application thereto.

. I shall in the ensuing description set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention and specifically describe the same without limiting my invention except as expressly set' forth in the claims.

It is unnecessary to refer in any detail to the knitting machine herein represented otherwise than to state that it is provided with a driving shaft 8 whereon are positioned the loose pulley 39 the slow speed pulley p and the quick speed pulley p. When the machine is running the belt is held upon the pulley p or the pulley p by means of a belt guide 1, shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and which extends from an arm 2 shown in Fig. 1, as laterally extending from a shipper frame or member 3 mounted for sliding movement upon a suitable pin or from the frame or housing a of the machine.

Suitably mounted in the framing of the I machine, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, is a movable part '5 which ispreferably a rock shaft. Said part has two positions, namely, a machine-running and a machine-stopped position, and in the disclosed embodiment of my invention. for this purpose said rock shaft 5 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 6, shown most clearly in Fig. 1 as adapted to take against one side of the shipper frame 3. Connected to said. arm 6 is a coiled spring 7, the opposite end whereof is attached to the framing of the machine in such a way that the spring tends constantly to rock the shaft 5 from the machine-running to the machine-stopped position, and at the same time to move the shipper with the belt guide from the'position indicated in Fig. 1, Where the belt is upon the pulley 7), into a position that places the belt upon the loose pulley 10 The rock shaft 5 is provided with an arm 8 having a handle 9 to effect the resetting of the shaft after the break or defect in the thread has been remedied.

It is very desirable that all danger of fire from arcing or sparking shall be prevented. Accordingly all the contacts are preferably placed in closed receptacles so that all danger of such character is avoided.

As most clearly shown in Fig. '2, i apply to. some suitable part of the machine frame a box or receptacle indicated at 10, it having a cover indicated at 11 in Fig. 2, said cover being removed in Fig. 3 to show the interior construction.

The rock shaft 5 which I have stated suitably mounted in the frame 'of the ma chine extends into the box. 10, being received in suitable bearings 12, 13 therein. Preferably the spring 7 previously referred to is mounted exteriorly of the box 10 and is in 3 represented as connected at one end to a pin ld'ext'ending from a bracket 15 fast to the rock shaft 5.

Mounted upon the shaft 5 withinthe box 10, as most clearly shown in F ig. 6, is an annular insulation or ing 16 clamped or secured towhich is a metallic strip or clip 17 from which extends a lead wire 18. oaid strip or clip is provided with two contact blades or parts 19, 19 which are adapted, when the shaft is in the position shown in Fig. 3, 'to make contact with like parts or terminals 20, 20' extending from a lead wire 21.

The shaft 5 is provided with a suitable formation by means of which it is held in machine-running position so long as the circuit is not completed through the magnet or like means indicated at 22 in Fig. 3. For this purpose I have represented a disk or cam 23 having a hub 24 which is secured, as by a screw 25, upon the shaft Said disk or cam is provided with a radial notch 26 and suitably pivoted at 27 upon the magnet 22 is an armature 28 which, when the magnet is tie-energized, engages the radial projection 26 of the disk or cam 23. Here in for the purpose the armature is provided with an upwardly extending projection 29, clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 5.

Obviously so long as the magnet 22 remains de energized, the projection 29 of the armature 28 engages with the projection 26 of the disk or cam 23, thereby preventing said disk and rock shaft 5 from turning in a clockwise direction. viewing Fig. 5, as indicated by the arrow upon said disk. When, however, the magnet 22 is energized and herein by either a broken thread or a thread having faulty or impaired tension, the armature is attracted, withdrawing the projection 29 from the projection 26 and permitting the rocking of the shaft 5 in a clockwise direction viewing Figs. 1 and 5, and thus shifting the belt to the loose pulley 37 It will be observed that the parts thus far described are of very compact construction and can readily be applied to most knitting machine frames, as in a position in proximity to the fastand loose pulleys or the clutch, so as to control the stopping of the machine.

As will be hereinafter more fully set forth, the shaft 5 cannot be restored to the machine starting position until the break or defective tension in the yarn is remedied, since the magnet 22 remains energized so long as either defect continues, and there fore the projections '26, 29 cannot be brought into the position shown in Fig. 5 and hold the rock shaft 5 in 'machine-minning position.

I will now describe the preferred form of means which may be readily adapted to many types of machines for supporting, and preferably at a higher elevation-than the knitting head, the means operative upon break or defective tension of the thread or of any number of the threads, for causing energiza-tion' of the -magnet l22and -conse-, quently the stopping of the machine.

The machine is shown as provided with the usual vertical creel rod 30 represented in Figs. 1 and 2 and having secured thereto and laterally extending therefrom a bracket 31 herein shown as terminating in a position above but laterally of the knitting head, where it is provided with a box or receptacle 32 herein shown as having a removable top or cover 33. As indicated in Fig. 10, the cover is provided with a series =of s'crews or pins 34; extending into suitable -sockets 35 in the receptacle or box '32.

The knitting machine may be equipped with means'for feeding "one or more and preferably a plurality of threads. Herein I have represented means for receiving four distinct threads, the breakage or impaired tension of any one of which will result in the stopping of the knitting machine.

In accordance with the disclosed embodiment of my invention, the box or receptacle '32, which maydesirably be formed of aluminum, is provided with four hubs 36, 36 36*, 36, which may be if desired integral with said box or receptacle 32 or may besuitably attached thereto. Within each of said hubs is fast a bushing 37-, 37% 37, 37 and mounted in the said bushings are four shafts having upwardly extending arms 38-, 33 ,38 Each of said arms 38, 38,-38 38 is herein shown as provided with a series of spaced lingers 39, v liich, in the unbroken condition of the thread pertaining thereto, occupies the position indicated in Fig. '8 with respect to its co-acting fixed. frame 4011pwardly extending from the respective hub 36, 36, 36, 36 about which each is clamped as indicated most clearly at 41 in Fig. 8.

Upwardly extending from the cap or cover 33 of the box or receptacle 32 is a rod 42 shown most clearly in Fig. 2 and having a head or block 42 at the upper end herein represented as rectangular in form and as having pivoted at the four sides thereof four levers 43, 43 43", 43, one of the pivots being indicated at 44 in Fig. 2, and the outer end of each being forked as indicated at 45 to receive the yarn passing therethrough from the bobbins or yarn packages upon the creel frame, the yarns passing first between the members 38, 40 of the respective set of stop devices already described.

Pivotally secured to each of the yarn levers 43, as indicated at 46, is the upper end of a vertical rod 47 having thereon an adjustable collar 48. Each of said rods 47 I extends through a suitable-opening in the cap 33 as indicated at 49 in Fig. 10 and between which adjustable collar and the cap is a slight coiled spring 50, the tension whereof may be varied by adjusting the collar 48 as by means of a suitable screw 51.

As indicated most clearly in Figs..9 and 10, the receptacle 32 isprovided with four cups 52, 52*, 52*, 52, said cups being preferably formed in a lining 53 of bakelite or some other insulating material.

Viewing Figs. 9 and 10, it will be observed that the lower end of each of the rods 47 is provided with a yoke constituting a pair of terminals 54, 55 of any suitable material, such, for example, as silver Wire. Within each of the cups 52, 52 52", 52 I preferably place mercury as indicated at 56, there being suitable electrical connections from each of the cups, as indicated'in Fig. 10. The rods 47 are so positioned above and with respect to the box or receptacle 32 that each of the yokes of the rods 47 straddles two of the cups, as also indicated in the diagram Fig. 1 so that a circuit may be completed upon the depression of any one of the rods 47 sufficiently to cause contacts 54, 55 to dip into the mercury in a pair of the cups. Extending from the mercury in the said cups are suitable wires indicated at 57 and extending to one of the lead lines, as indicated at 58 in Fig. 1 a

A yarn under suitable tension received in the end of one of the levers 43, 43*, 43*, 43 permits such lever to assume the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 owing to the tension of the respective spring 50. When, however, the yarn becomes undulv tensioned because of some defect at the knitting head or for any other cause, the arm 43, 43, 43 43 pertaining to that yarn is drawn downwardly against the tension of its spring and until the contacts 54. dip into the mercury in a pair of cups 52, 52*, 52", 52, the yarn at the same time slipping out of the open free end of the arm that has moved down, thus providing sufficient slackito prevent breaking of the thread before the parts of the knitting head come actually to rest and preventing undue tightening of the yarn or thread at the needles or the cutting of the yarn at the needles with resulting hole in the fabric.

I have already stated that within the bushings 37, 37 37", 37 are positioned shafts having upwardly extending arms 38. One of said shafts is indicated at 59 in Fig. 10. Fast upon each of said shafts 59 is an arm 60 suitably insulated and carried upon said arms are a pair of contacts 61, 62 of silver wire or other suitable material adapted to dip into the mercury in the respective cups 52, 52 52, 52, the said arms 60 being arranged suitably about but inside of the box or receptacle 32, so that the contacts 61, 62 for each arm dip into the proper mercury cups. It will be evident that when a yarn passing between the parts 38, 4O pertaining thereto breaks, the arm 60 pertaining to that yarn rocks downwardly, viewing Fig. 10, so that the contacts 61, 62 dip into the appropriate mercury cups and the circuit is completed through the wire 57 and through the wire 63 indicated at the diagram Fig. 1

Thus the circuit is completed through the mercury cups upon breakage of any yarn or in the event of undue tension imposed thereon.

In Fig. 1 I have diagrammatically indicated the type of circuit which I may employ. Therein one of the lead lines or wires is indicated at. 58. The other of saidlead lines or wires is indicated at 64, it extending to the magnet 22 and from thence through the conductor 65 to alamp or other suitable resistance 66, there being a wire.

67 extending from the conductor 65 to the terminal 20 indicated in Fig. 3. From said lamp 66 extends a conductor 68' which branches, as indicated at 69,0ne part being in communication with the conductor 63 and the other with a conductor 70 which extends as indicated to the terminal 20. In said diagram the shaft 5 is indicated as carrying the contacts 19, 19 and in'said diagram it will be observed that the circuit is broken at the terminals 19, 20, 19 20 in the event that, the circuit is completed at the box or receptacle 32 by reasons of the breaking or undue tension of any one of the yarns.

In the event that the circuit is completed at the box or receptacle 32, the current passes through the lamp 66. thereby causing the filament. thereof to'glow and to indicate to the operative thatthere is a yarn defect at the machine. Moreover, said lamp acts when the filament thereof glows all,

as a suitable resistance to absorb the arc.

It will be observed, viewing Fig. P, thatimmediately upon the completion. of the circuit at the box or receptacle 82, the magnet 22 is energized so as to attract the armature thereof and to break that part of the circuit including the conductors 6'7, 70. Nevertheless the magnet 22 remains energized because the circuit remains unimpaired through the conductor 65, and therefore the armature 28 remains attracted until the yarn defect has been remedied. Therefore the machine cannot be started until the yarn defect is remedied, since it is only by repairing such yarn defect that the rock shaft 5 can be positioned in machine starting position.

Furthermore although the circuit is completed at the box or receptacle 32, the immediate breaking thereof at the conductor 67, 7O prevents all danger of arcing at the box or receptacle 32.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a very compact and yet complete electrical stop motion which may be readily applied to existing machines, since it is necessary only to provide the bracket 31 to be secured to the creel rod 30, all the parts of the stop motion being mounted upon the said bracket 31 with the exception of the box 11 and the rock shaft 5 and closely related parts which are secured upon the frame of the machine and desirably in close proximity to the fast and loose pulleys thereof.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims:

1. An electrical stop motion for knitting machines having an upright creel rod, a receptacle supported from said creel rod, a fixed upright rod extending upwardly from the receptacle, a plurality of vertically movable rods corresponding in number to the number of yarns, a lever with a forked open end directly connected to each rod, a contact at the lower end of each rod, a mercury cup into which such contact is adapted to dip, and operative connections between the contacts and the shipper mechanism, the

' construction and relation of parts being such that the unduly tensioned yarn slips from the forked open end of the lever pertaining thereto substantially simultaneously with the contact in the mercury cup, whereby additional tightening of the yarn at the needles is prevented.

2. In an electrical stop motion for knitting machines said stop motion including pivoted sweep arms for supporting and tensioning the yarn being fed to the knitting machine and an electric circuit associated therewith and effective to stop the machine upon impaired yarn tension, the combination therewith of a box supported from the creel rod of the knitting machine, mercury contacts therein and included in said circuit, a cap for said box, vertical rods corresponding in number to the number of sweep arms, said rods each provided at its lower end within said box with a pair of electrically interconnected contacts adapted to complete said circuit across two of said mercury contacts, said rods extending upwardly through saidcap and connected, at their upper ends with the respective sweep arms and so as to be moved downwardly by downward swing-- ing movement of said arms, a coil spring surrounding each rod and normally holding said rods and sweep arms in raised position, said springs bearing at one end upon said cap, and a longitudinally adjustable collar on each rod against which bear the other ends of said springs whereby the tensionimparted to the yarn may be regulated.

8. In an electrical stop motion for knitting machines said stop motion including pivoted sweep arms for supporting and tensioningthe yarn being fed to the knitting machine and an electric circuit associated therewith and effective to stop the machine upon impaired yarn tension, the combination therewith of a box,.a bracket for supporting the same from the creel rod of the knitting machine, a plurality of mercury contacts therein corresponding to the number of sweep arms, a removable cap for said box, a vertical rod for each sweep arm extending through said cap and carrying at its lower end within said box a yoke constituting a pair of terminals adapted to complete the circuit across two of said mercury contacts, each such rod connected at its upper end with a sweep arm for downward movement by the downward swinging of the latter, an adjustable collar upon each rod outside the box and a spring for each rod confined between the cap and said adjustable collar and retained in position by its rod.

4. In an electrical stop motion for knitting machines said stop motion including pivoted sweep arms for supporting and tensioning the yarn being fed to the knitting machine and an electric circuit associated therewith and effective to stop the machine upon impaired yarn tension, the combination therewith of a box supported from the creel rod of the knitting machine, mercury con tacts therein and included in said circuit, a plurality of hubs laterally extending from said box, a fixed frame clamped upon each hub, a shaft positioned for rocking movement within each hub and extending within the box, a member at the outer end of each shaft and having fingers between which and the adjacent fixed frame an unbroken yarn extends, an arm fast upon the inner end of each shaft and normally maintained in raised position by such unbroken yarn, and a pair of interconnected contacts upon each arm adapted to close the circuit across two of said mercury contacts within the box in the event of yarn breakage.

5. In an electrical stop motion for knitting machines said stop motion including.

pivoted sweep arms for supporting and tensioning the yarn being fed to the knitting machine and an electric circuit associated therewith and eflective to stop the machine upon impaired yarn tension, the combination therewith of a box, a bracket for supporting the same from the creel rod of the knitting machine, a plurality of mercury contacts therein corresponding to the number of sweep arms, a removable cap for said box, a vertical rod for each sweep arm ex tending through said cap and carrying at its lower end within said box a yoke constituting a pair of terminals adapted to comment by the downward swinging of the latter, an adjustable collar upon each rod outside the box, a spring for each rod confined between the cap and said adjustable collar and retained in position by its rod,

a plurality of hubslaterally extending from said box, a fixed frame clamped upon each hub, a shaft positioned for rocking movement within each hub and extending within the box, a member at the outer end of each shaft and having fingers between which and the adjacent fixed frame an unbroken yarn extends, an arm fast upon the inner end of each shaft and normally maintained in raised position by such unbroken yarn, and a pair of interconnected contacts upon each arm adapted to close the circuit across two of said mercury contacts-within the box in v the event of yarn breakage. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDSON S. HINELINE. 

